What I heard from the bathroom tonight...

Ryan went in the bathroom while the boys were brushing their teeth and says, "Boys, I want you to brush your teeth without being crazy, without knocking each other over and without saying the word booty!"

Things we hear from Zac

"Mommy, I need a snotter." (Kleenex)

"I wish I had worms under my bed."

"Mommy, let's pretend I am Simba and you can lick my bottom." (What?!)

While looking in the mirror at himself trying on a new outfit, "Perfect!"

While playing football with dad in the backyard, "Daddy, I want to be the attacker."

Hallie's Hair

Hallie is really starting to love fixing her hair. Have I ever mentioned how much I love having a little girl? Anyway, her latest obsession is curly hair. She wants me to braid it at night so that it will be curly in the morning when we let the braids out. Well, I told her we could give her a perm and then she would have curls all the time! She loved the idea, so this past week I gave Hallie her first perm!

Discovering

Today was filled with wonderful discoveries in our backyard.

#52 Digging in the dirt to find out what is hidden underground.


#53 The harvest of carrots. Thinking about making carrot cake.


#54 A creepy, cool creature captivated our attention. Yes, I am thanking God for spiders! It was HUGE!


#55 Discovering how fun lunch can be if we change locations and eat outside. Every bite of our sandwiches took us to invisible land where the boys saw monkeys, cheetahs, and a whale in our backyard.


#56 Rediscovering the sandbox and how fun pulling out an old pastime can be.


#57 Joy that comes from the Spirit as I watch my boys play, dream, imagine and discover in the backyard.

Happiness is...

...taking a walk with Hallie and her dolls.

Today, Hallie and I dressed up her dolls,brushed and styled their hair and took them for a walk around the block. Hallie was precious as she showed her dolls different things we saw along the way and held them if they started to cry.

#51 Thank you, Jesus, for my little girl!

Strong and Courageous

This month our family memory verse is Joshua 1:6 "Be strong and courageous!" The kids loved it when I told them the story of Joshua entering the Promise Land and God telling him over and over to be strong and courageous.

This month I have been trying to make the verse stick. Not just in their memories, but stick to their hearts. God has provided lots of opportunities to encourage each of the kids when I catch them being strong and courageous.

Yesterday Hallie had two teeth extracted to make room for her big teeth coming in. We had talked at home about the possibility of pulling teeth and what to expect. We talked about the benefits of having the extraction and how what the doctor would do to diminish any pain. She soaked up all this information, but a new experience (especially if it involves the possibility of pain) still can create some anxiety.

Well, let me tell you how strong and courageous my little girl was! She walked in confidently to the dentist, sat down in the chair, listened carefully to the nurse and let onlly one small tear trickle down from her eye while she waited in anticipation of the extraction. Then, the dentist came in calmed her with his confident and quiet voice and she proceeded to have two teeth pulled without any more tears or anxiety. I was so proud of her! It was such a joy to tell her, "Hallie, you were so strong and courageous!"

She taught me so much yesterday. She didn't just recite scripture at the dinner table, but instead she lived out courage. She put her trust in the dentist and let his confident, reassuring words guide her through a new and frightening experience. And, whether she completely understands the Holy Spirit's help, she let the truth of God's word help her to be courageous as well.

I am going to choose to remember God's faithfulness, my daughter's courage and let it remind me to live a life of courage, strength and trust in an unfailing God.

Psalm 103:2-5

Praise the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits - who forgives all your sins and heals all your diseases, who redeems your life from the pit and crowns you with love and compassion, who satisfies your desires with good things."

In the midst of counting God's blessings and finding cause for thanksgiving in my day to day routine of life I was challenged by this verse. The verse begins with David talking to his soul. I can certainly relate to self-talk. Unfortunately, my self-talk is not always full of truth. In fact, at times self-talk brings me into a pit of despair instead of a place of thanksgiving.

It's easy to give thanks when the sun is shining, the laundry is put away, dinner is made, children are behaving and I am really energetic, right? I am quick to remember all his benefits when things are "going my way." What about sad days? What about mad days? What about sick days?

This verse is not about good days. It's about praising God and remembering Him on bad days. So, here I go...

I was terribly sick two days ago. Ryan was at church and I was at home with all the kids. I was throwing up with a terrible tummy ache. I know many of you have been there. Let me tell you how good God was to me!

#46 My kids made themselves dinner. In the midst of moaning and groaning I was rejoicing to watch them get out all the supplies they needed to make their very own PB&J's. They worked as a team and even put things away after they made the sandwiches.

#47 All three kids showed great compassion with tender back rubs, getting a bowl for me to throw up in, getting me pillows and asking, "Is there anything else I can do for you, mommy?"

#48 Ryan came home after church and kindly sent me to bed. He took care of the kids by bathing them, reading bedtime stories and running to get me medicine. I am so blessed to have such a wonderful man to help me when I am sick.

#49 Before the tummy flu set in God had guided and directed my day, so that much of the housework was already done.

#50 When I woke in the morning I was healed. My sickness was completely gone and I had energy for parenting the next day.

I am so satisfied in the love and provision of my Savior!

First Grade!

#41 New beginnings, fresh starts, a clean slate, a new day, a new year. His mercies are new every morning for me and for her.

#42 The smile that wants to overflow with joy, mixed with a few nerves as we walk to school on the first day of first grade. She is forever precious to me.

#43 Confidence and beauty that is growing in her heart.

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#44 The smile at the end of a wonderful first day! Isn't she radiant?

#46 Her little brother, Jacob walking hand and hand with her after school was out. Her little brother asking her about her day. Her little brother wanting to sit close to her after school. Her little brother saying, "Hallie is my best friend." He missed her while she was away.

#45 The heavy, full heart of a mom counting and collecting memories as they are made each day.

Dollhouse

This past weekend Hallie and I headed back to my childhood home to do some redecorating. My sweet uncle built me a huge Dollhouse when I was a young girl. It was well used in the 80's but has been sitting, collecting dust in a basement storeroom over the last two decades.

My mom rediscovered it when she was doing some basement cleaning and began to dream about restoring the old dollhouse for her granddaughters to use. She cleaned it off, reattached the roof, planned a redecorating weekend for the girls and got out the paint cans. Hallie, her cousin, my sister, my mom and I all worked to bring this dollhouse back to life. We even bought new furniture and flooring! It was so much fun and the final product was quite a new creation. It was full of color and has already been used happily by two sweet girls!

In an effort to see Him and know Him in all things I can't help but see a parallel with this dollhouse and life. I have a person in my life, so dear to me, who once knew the reality of being a new creation in Christ. He has tucked that relationship into a storeroom and the beauty of his relationship with Christ has been collecting dust. In the last year or so we have started the process of pulling that relationship out of the basement, dusting it off, cleaning it and looking for paint in God's Word to brighten the walls and start living as a new creation once again.

When a person's relationship with Christ is tucked away, for whatever reason, it sometimes takes grace-filled people filled with hope to help that person rediscover the love of Christ. Taking on the task of cleaning out the basement can seem overwhelming, but little by little things get cleaned up and God always illuminates and makes a way. It can take time in prayer and time in relationship with that person to bring their relationship with Christ back to life. It's not our job to save, but is our job to be grace-filled Christ followers willing to invest in the muck and gunk of other's lives in an effort to show them the love of Christ.

Do you have someone that needs this kind of encouragement? Don't lose hope. Pray. Be bold and courageous (Joshua 1:6). God can do all things.

So many moments I'm thankful for...

#30 A walk through the woods. The sunlight peeking through trees, discovering a butterfly hiding on a tree trunk, excitement as we hear sounds of birds in the woods, picking up acorns (a fascinating treasure to a three year old)...

#31 Watching and witnessing little minds learn and discover. Zac slowly and meticulously learning his letters.

#32 Warm tea at the end of a busy day

#33 My parents. They love to love their grandkids.

#34 The sounds of boys being boys. No, seriously...warriors (for Christ) in the making.

#35 The cautious, thoughtful heart of my daughter. I imagine this will serve her well in life. At the same time encouraging a sense of adventure and courage. The Lord is helping us find the balance.

#36 A comfortable, safe, peaceful home where I can rest and be myself.

#37 Dreams...Hope.

#38 The peaceful sounds of water.

#39 The way my dear husband holds my hand. The sweetness of walking with him through this life, hand in hand.

#40 Being the one that gets to help my children.

Look who's FIVE!

Jacob turned five! We had the most fabulous party at My Gym with great friends. Jacob was glowing as he zoomed around the floor on a small sled while his friends shouted, "Happy Birthday!"

Jacob is a dear, precious child. He is calm, level headed, athletic, smart and loves his mommy and daddy! He is a wonderful brother and friend. I am forever grateful for the gift of Jacob five years ago.

During his bedtime snack Jacob said, "Well, I have good news and bad news."

"What's the good news, Jake?"

"The good news is I wish every day was August 2nd. The bad news is that every day isn't August 2nd."

Bring Lily Home

We have some wonderful blog friends who are trying to adopt their second child. They have endured a great deal of hardship in an effort to grow their family through adoption. Please click on the button in my side bar to see how you can help them bring their daughter home and to read their story.